Human Rights Watch awarded four Tibetan writers with Hellman/Hammett grants for their “commitment to free expression and their courage in the face of persecution.”

The names of the four were not announced due to safety concerns. A total of 41 writers from 19 countries were honored for publishing information or ideas that have been suppressed by repressive government policies

The Hellman/Hammett grants are given annually to writers around the world who have been targets of political persecution or human rights abuses. Over the past 22 years, more than 750 writers from 92 countries have received the Hellman/Hammett grants of up to US$10,000.